When we hire nannies, we always have a list of things we expect from them. The job description that working moms create of their ideal nanny can sometimes be too much or too little.
The expectations you have of your nanny should align with her job description, her qualifications your contract and other specific details that are relevant for your work context.
At the minimum your nanny should feed and play with your child, clean after themselves ensure their safety as well discipline and correct them when they go wrong. You should not expect your nanny to do housekeeping, pet care, gardening,
You may lose your nanny if your expectations are too high and unreasonable.
Reasonable Nanny Expectations/Job Description
1. Feeding the Baby
It is within the normal nanny’s role to feed the baby all the meals during the time she is with the baby. This means milk and/or formula for infants and solid meals for older kids. The role also includes preparing/cooking and feeding the baby meals if they are spoon-fed.
2. Playing with the Baby
It is the role of the nanny to nurture the baby so all activities for growth and development are within the duties of the nanny. The nanny should hence come up with age-appropriate indoor and outdoor activities for stimulating and engaging the baby including learning and playing.
3. Cleaning after Self and the Baby
It is a normal and reasonable expectation for nannies to clean after the baby. It entails every cleaning related to the baby such as washing dishes after baby and own meals, running baby laundry, folding baby clothes, cleaning/sanitizing toys, tiding the baby room, etc.
The bottom line is that the house should be in at least the same condition that the nanny found it in if not better.
4. Keeping Baby Safe
The nanny is responsible for the safety of the baby under her watch. She should ensure that the baby is safe and handles anything that is a danger to their safety. It includes ensuring safe play, giving medication, eliminating hazard etc. All these are considered reasonable nanny job description.
5. Discipline and Correction
Since the baby is spending the bulk of their time with the nanny, it is within the nanny’s job to correct and discipline the baby when the needs arises. It is best for a wrong to be corrected on the spot.
Since the baby spends a lot of time with the nanny it will naturally arise under her watch and it is reasonable to expect a nanny to correct and discipline the baby when it does.
Read: How to Secure your Nanny Commitment for Long Term
Unreasonable Nanny Expectations/Job Description
Unreasonable or too high nanny expectations are what you expect from your nanny but which is odd for her role such as doing housekeeping, pet care, gardening etc. If the tasks/job description you have set for your nanny are not within her role as a nanny, then the expectations are too high and unreasonable.
Doing any of your housekeeping over the child-related tasks comes with an added cost and should be compensated. If you are not compensating the nanny for the tasks she is doing, the tasks are unreasonable.
Further if you are not offering your nanny downtime or time to recharge then your demands are much. Your nanny needs guaranteed hours and times/schedule, paid vacation, sick days, holiday
Read: Reasons your Nannies are Quitting Too Soon
Tips on Setting Reasonable Nanny Job Description
1. Include Only Duties you are Paying
Let the pay that you are offering guide you into creating the job profile for your nanny. If you are paying your nanny for all the roles you expect of her then it can be considered to be a reasonable nanny job description.
So in your nanny job description, only include roles what you are paying your nanny for. If you are only paying the rate for caring for the baby, do not add housekeeping into the role as this expecting too much of your nanny.
2. Be Professional and Reasonable
When creating the roles and the tasks for your nanny, keep them professional and reasonable. Do not have the nanny do what professional nannies don’t do. The roles should remain in the line of child care as much as possible. For instance it is not the nanny’s job to clean after your bedroom or run the laundry for your spouse.
Doing so will help you set up a reasonable nanny job description that is not overwhelming your nanny.
Read: How to Set your Nanny’s Minimal Requirements
3. Be Guided by the Requirements/Skills
Your nanny description should be guided by the requirements that you set out first during the hiring stage. Look out for the skills that you want your nanny to have as this is what will be reasonable to ask of her. It ranges from driving or swimming among others. If your hired nanny lacks these skills it is unreasonable to ask her of them.
For instance, if you did not hire out nanny with swimming skills in the description, you are expecting too much when you expect her to take and teach your kids how to swim. If cooking is not her skill, it is a high expectation for her to cook chef like meals.
4. Be Guided by the Age of your Kids
Your nanny roles are definitely shaped by your baby and what can be considered reasonable duties. Their age will dictate the kind of tasks and activities that you expect of the nanny.
Therefore the nanny job description will depend on the baby. The job description of an infant nanny is not similar to a school-going kid. They need different levels of care and engagement and have different daytime routines and schedules. Further what is a reasonable job description will change as the baby grows.
5. Consider your Routine and Schedule
You probably need the nanny only during the hours that you are working at the office or running personal errands. As expected it is reasonable to expect your nanny’s availability guided by these shifts.
If you are working during the day, your nanny’s reasonable expectations stick to baby care and nurturing, cleaning up after self and baby, and light housekeeping if agreed upon.
On the other hand, if you are working during the night shift, the expectations for your nanny change. You are probably looking for someone who will run the bedtime routine for your baby, prepare and feed them dinner, and maybe prepare breakfast for them till you get home from your shift.
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